


His Light

by ChibiStarr



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Annatar being charming, M/M, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 07:25:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14827970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChibiStarr/pseuds/ChibiStarr
Summary: Celebrimbor tries to be playful and coy with Annatar, and ends up being played instead.





	His Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



"And what are you doing out here so late?"

The voice was soft as honey, gentle and sweetening the air with its rich notes before fading away under the trickling of water that ran endlessly from one of the fountains below. Celebrimbor did not turn to see who it was, for who could fail to recognize Annatar's voice after they heard him speak but once? But not only for that reason. Keeping his eyes fixed ahead and his lips silent would always invariably draw the other closer to him, unable to resist the coyness of the Ñoldo who so delightfully pretended to ignore his presence.

As he expected, there was a moment of silence before the softest, most graceful pad of footsteps drew closer to him, almost inaudible over the running water and he only picked them up because he had been listening so intently for their sound. What he did  _not_ expect, however, was the touch that pressed into the curve of his spine and slowly trailed upward until the tips of the fingers reached the back of his neck. It was almost shameful how willingly his body reacted to the touch, mindlessly arching against him while a gentle fire began to kindle across his nerves, the entirety of his thought narrowed down to the touch on his neck. He was almost certain that if Annatar would leave then he would simply collapse, as if he was no more than a puppet being dangled by the wires that held him upright.

"Do you not wish to spend some time with me? I can leave, if it is your desire."

"No," he gasped, the word flying from his lips in an instant before he could control himself. Well since it was already out in the open it was time to just throw all the rest of his caution to the winds. "Please, my lord, nothing would make me happier than to have you stay."

He heard a soft chuckle and the fingers gently stroked his skin, sliding ever so slowly through his hair. "Would it, now?" Annatar whispered, his words strangely confined, as if they existed only in the space between them. As if they were words that only Celebrimbor deserved to hear, and no one else.

His lips parted gently, for Celebrimbor was suddenly realizing that there was not enough air in his lungs, and he greedily gasped for more. "Of course, I would not lie to you," he said, his voice far more calm than he expected it to be, but there was still an undercurrent of a tremble there, quivering like the petal of a flower in the wind.

Even before Annatar spoke again, he knew the other had heard it. He could all but feel the smile stretching across his teacher's face as he leaned closer. "You do me a great honor, then, yet you avoid my presence."

"Never avoid,  _hîr,_ never," Celebrimbor whispered back, finally turning against the hand to look into Annatar's eyes, hardly a few inches from his own. The sensation of the fingers in his hair sent thousands of prickles down his spine, plucking every single nerve like a harp string on their way down. He held the golden gaze with his own silver, unable to stop his answering smile as he met the liquid depths that were currently staring at him with all the piercing scrutiny that Annatar was well capable of. "I merely wished to see the stars, and how their light bathes my master in their glorious glow. I hoped that you would come out here and join me."

The smile turned knowing, as if he had just stepped into a trap that Annatar knew that he would fall into. "I see," the other elf said, tapping his lips with a finger. "So you thought to cleverly lead me around, then." He tilted his head a little, and then suddenly his fingers were gone from Celebrimbor's neck and he was stepping back.

Just as he thought he would, Celebrimbor suddenly slumped against the balustrade and had to catch himself. Without the Lord of Gift's touch his knees felt as if they were now nonexistent and all of his bones had been replaced with fog. He felt his throat close a little, the feeling of  _loss_ overwhelming him as Annatar's presence, so clear like a mountain spring, vanished with every step. One hand somehow managed to free itself from the death grip on the rail and he had moved it only an inch to  _reach_ for his lord, as if he could somehow, absurdly, pull him back, but Annatar stopped him yet again.

Arms spread, palms open, his face still smiling, Aulë's smith looked at him. "And how do I look under the radiance of Elbereth's greatest gifts? Does the sight satisfy your curiosity?" He had that endearingly smug smile across his face, like he already knew the answer and merely wished to hear it spoken out loud.

Although to be fair, if Celebrimbor was even half as beautiful as Annatar (and knew it) he would take a great pleasure in parading himself around like a peacock, too. Even his aunt wasn't completely immune to flattery, she was one of the fairest elves in all of Arda and she knew it and she was not ashamed to flaunt it on occasion. But Annatar…he was utterly sublime.

The seconds were stretching, he  _knew_ they were, but Celebrimbor could not summon the breath from his body to speak. He was utterly frozen, spellbound before the lovely creature in front of him like Thingol when he first met Melian. The only way he could describe the sight was as if Annatar had ensnared all of the light around him, holding it close to his body until it looked as if he had sucked all of the life from the stars, leaving hollow chips behind, no more radiant than grains of sand scattered across the black beach of the sky. With the darkness pressing closer in response, to him the elf had stolen all the light in the world. Everything beyond his aura looked like spilled ink blotting out the features of the land around him.

And Celebrimbor couldn't find anything wrong with it. He would have been perfectly content to just sit like this forever, to have Annatar be his only light. It was only when Annatar raised an eyebrow, breaking the perfect stillness of his posture, did Celebrimbor feel like he had been released from his spell and his aching lungs gasped in air. Somehow, it felt fuller and fresher than every other breath he had ever taken before in his life.

"I have no words," he spoke with utter sincerity. "Nothing seems to do justice for your beauty, my lord…" He trailed off, licked his lips, and tried again. "I've never seen anything more incredible than you in my entire life."

Surprise, but a pleased one, flickered across Annatar's face and he knew that he had indeed said something that the other had not been wholly expecting. "Considering that I still see the Trees reflecting in your eyes, that is quite a compliment indeed, Celebrimbor," he spoke. But his tone did not hold an inch of disbelief, and only Annatar could somehow be so charmingly arrogant that he truly believed what was being said to him rather than chalk it up as mindless, tasteless flattery.

Celebrimbor bowed, if anything to shield his eyes from the brightness for only a moment. "And yet my words are no less true for it," he said. It was easier to speak when he wasn't looking directly at him.

He did not hear any steps, but he saw Annatar's light drawing closer. He straightened himself in just enough time to be caught in his teacher's arms and for the other's lips to descend upon his own, kissing him with enough force to bring his nerves flaring to life and he responded without a second of hesitation, caught hopelessly in the web that had been woven around them.

Warm breath teased his lips, and Annatar's thumbs traced the curve of his spine. "Now," his lord whispered, "come back to bed with me."

It was a request he could never, ever refuse. One he would never wish to.


End file.
